Harvard Graduate Student Robbed

Cambridge police are investigating a string of similar robberies

The yellow triangle marks the vicinity where the robbery of a graduate student on Tuesday night took place. Two men held the student at gunpoint and stole his laptop, wallet, and cellphone.

A male graduate student was robbed at gunpoint on Tuesday night at the intersection of Dana and Harvard Streets, according to a Harvard University Police Department community advisory sent Wednesday morning.

The incident comes on the heels of a series of similar incidents that have occurred in Cambridge in recent days.

According to the Cambridge Police Department’s incident report, the victim, 31, said that he was walking down Dana Street from Harvard Street at approximately 11:40 p.m. when he heard people running behind him. As he turned around, two men in their early 20s approached him.

One of the suspects held a hand gun against his chest and demanded all of his possessions. The victim said in the police report that he handed them his laptop and his wallet, which contained $40. The victim also handed over his cellphone when the two men asked for it.

After the two suspects had taken the victim’s cellphone, they reportedly ran up Dana Street and got into a vehicle parked on Harvard Street. The suspects drove off heading toward Harvard Square.

The victim was not injured during the robbery.

The victim described both the suspects as black males of average build and approximately 5’5” to 5’7” in height. The suspect holding the gun was wearing a black jacket and possibly had a goatee. The other suspect was wearing a blue sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head.

The incident is being investigated by Cambridge Police as it did not occur on Harvard University property.

In its advisory, HUPD reminded the community to take adequate precautions when walking in the city late at night. HUPD also advised affiliates comply if someone approached them with a weapon. Following a number of recent robberies, Cambridge Police released an advisory for community members to be vigilant while walking at night.

The same night that the Harvard graduate student was robbed, a man was approached by two black men on Cardinal Medeiros Avenue and Marney Street who then took his bag and fled.

Early morning on Oct. 25, two black male suspects robbed two males of their cell phones and money on Chatham and Hancock streets after showing a handgun.

On the evening of Oct. 24, two black male suspects showed a handgun to a woman and robbed her of her purse on Marney Street. A male delivery person was then robbed less than an hour later by two black male suspects on Thorndike Street by showing a handgun and taking the victim’s wallet and cellphone.

None of the victims of the armed robberies were injured.

The Cambridge Police said that they are currently investigating the robberies and following up on a number of active leads. A team of detectives has also been assigned to formulate a deployment plan for additional uniform patrols.

—Staff writer Julia K. Nguyen can be reached at julianguyen@college.harvard.edu.